In that living room filled with a tense and subtle atmosphere, Katherine and Mr. Shen exchanged a glance. Katherine gave him a small signal with her eyes.
That look held all the unspoken agreement and planning they had done beforehand, like the signal marking the beginning of a well-rehearsed play.
Mr. Shen received the signal, hesitated briefly, then cleared his throat and broke the heavy silence. He spoke slowly:
"Katherine, you're not young anymore. It's time to start thinking about your future."
His voice was gentle on purpose, but beneath that gentleness was a firm tone that allowed no argument.
Katherine, sharp as always, instantly caught the deeper meaning in his words. The corner of her mouth lifted slightly into a cold smile, full of mockery and clear understanding.
"So you're planning to arrange a marriage for me?" Her tone was calm, but underneath the calmness was a storm ready to rise.
The fact that she and Andrew were already legally married was a secret deeply buried. No one in the Shen family knew about it.
Madam Wan still wore a kind and gentle smile, and she softly said:
"Katherine, you've been working for years now. It's time to think about your future. A woman's youth only lasts so long."
Her words were like sugar-coated bullets, seemingly caring but actually pressing in from every side.
Katherine felt a chill in her heart at those words. Her eyes turned cold like stars in a freezing night, shining with a cutting coldness.
"Oh? And which family are you trying to marry me into? What benefits did they offer you?"
Her questions were sharp and straight to the point, like a blade tearing through the fake kindness in Madam Wan's words.
Mr. Shen's face immediately turned dark when he heard such blunt and suspicious words. It was as if someone had pulled open a bandage to expose a festering wound. He shouted angrily:
"You ungrateful thing. Is this how you repay us for thinking about your future?"
His body trembled slightly, showing how agitated he truly was.
Katherine sneered inwardly. She knew exactly what Mr. Shen meant by "thinking about her."
In this family, personal interests always came first. They would never arrange a marriage for her out of love or care. The other party must have made a very tempting offer, enough to make them desperate to push this marriage through.
Her gaze shifted toward Vivi, her expression carrying a trace of amusement and provocation.
"Since it's such a great opportunity, shouldn't you let my dear sister take it first?"
Vivi's face instantly turned pale, as if all the blood had drained from it. Fear and anger swirled inside her.
No way she would marry a disabled man. Not a chance.
Before she could speak, Madam Wan quickly cut in:
"Katherine, your sister is still young. She just turned nineteen and still has school to finish."
Katherine raised the corner of her lips into a faint smile. It was distant and full of sarcasm.
She said softly, "Don't you know? Getting married in college can even earn you extra credits now.
Wouldn't that help her graduate more smoothly? Since it's such a good deal, she should take it."
Her words dropped like a stone into still water, instantly causing waves.
Mr. Shen's eyes widened, his face turned red with fury, and his emotions exploded like a volcano.
"You ungrateful brat, what are you saying? Your sister needs to focus on her studies and prepare for grad school. She doesn't have time.
But you're different. You've already lost your job. If you don't get married, who will?"
His voice echoed in the room, full of command and finality, like a judge declaring a sentence that couldn't be appealed.
Vivi, standing off to the side, secretly felt pleased when she heard her father defending her like that. She couldn't help but smile a little, though she tried hard to hide it. That hint of pride still showed.
She quickly glanced at Katherine, her eyes full of smugness and gloating.
Katherine watched all of this coldly. Her heart was full of complicated feelings. Her gaze turned sharp, like a blade, stabbing straight at the man who once gave her fatherly affection.
"What if I refuse to marry? What will you do to me?"
Her tone was calm, but it held a firm determination, like a lighthouse in the darkness, standing strong and shining on its own.
Mr. Shen was furious when Katherine defied him so openly. He slapped his thigh hard, the sound echoing like a release of his anger.
"Katherine, you're getting married whether you like it or not. This is not your decision to make."
His eyes were filled with cold authority and dominance, as if he thought his power alone could crush Katherine's resistance.
Katherine gave a mocking smile, her lips curled in scorn for his outdated thinking.
"Seriously? You think this is still the old days? Arranged marriages and matchmaking through parents? Sorry, I'm not marrying anyone. I don't care who it is."
With that, she stood up straight and walked out, her posture tall and firm. Every step she took was like a blow against the unfair demands placed on her.
Madam Wan was frantic, like an ant on a hot pan. In her eyes, if Katherine didn't marry, all her carefully laid plans would fall apart. The future of Shen Corporation was at stake, and the luxurious life she had promised herself and Vivi would crumble.
She anxiously nudged Mr. Shen, her eyes full of hints, silently urging him to stop Katherine.
Mr. Shen raised his voice sharply and shouted to the housekeeper and the servants, "Stop Miss Katherine now!"
Katherine had sharp hearing. The moment she caught those harsh words, her heart skipped a beat. A surge of rebellion rose in her chest. Without a moment's hesitation, she sped up, bolting toward the door like an arrow from a bow.
Her eyes were fierce with determination and frustration. She couldn't believe that in today's so-called civilized world, her own father would resort to such forceful and controlling methods.
She dashed out of the yard and quickly spotted her car parked by the road. It looked like her only hope of escaping the madness around her.
Her heart was racing, but she kept her mind clear. She rushed toward the car, unlocked it swiftly, slid into the driver's seat, and locked the doors behind her in one smooth motion.
She started the engine. The car let out a low roar, like it was shouting with her in anger and defiance.
The housekeeper and the servants reacted quickly, fanning out to surround her car. Their faces showed a mix of hesitation and determination, as if silently telling her they wouldn't let her leave easily.
Inside the car, Katherine looked at all the familiar and unfamiliar faces outside the window. Her emotions were in chaos.
She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself, but one thought flashed in her mind:
Do they really think I wouldn't dare hit them?
They shouldn't have pushed her this far, backed her into a corner like this.
She gripped the steering wheel tightly. Her fingers turned pale from the pressure. The anger inside her was rising fast.
She told herself firmly: Don't push me too far. If you do, I'll take everything down with me.
After a few tense seconds, she clenched her teeth and made up her mind. Her eyes turned sharp with resolve.
She slammed the gas pedal. The car shot forward like a furious beast.
The tires screeched violently, echoing her fury and pain.
As the car rushed closer to the people blocking her path, fear slowly replaced their resolve. The person standing in front turned pale, instinctively jumping aside.
From her rearview mirror, Katherine coldly watched their panicked reactions. Her eyes were icy and sharp as blades.
In that moment, the last trace of warmth she felt for this family disappeared.
If they could be this cruel, then she didn't need to hold back either.
In her heart, she made a clear decision. Her plan to leave the country needed to be acted on — immediately.